Web handling apparatus



April 9, 1940- A. o. HURxTHAL 2,196,921

WEB HANDLING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 29, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet l www@ April9, 1940- A. o. HURxTHAl. 2,196,921

' WEB HANDLING APPARATUS Filed Oct. V29, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 figg I ll Z/ l l l l l ll l' l il l: l: I l: l I I 4 n of a series of loops or`festoons; andisparticul'arly commonly known inthe kart 'I'he materialis usually fed continuously tojithe 'Patented pr. 9, 1940 unir-PlazoSTATES' -Wnn HANDLINGAPPARATUS Alpheus 0. Hurxtlial, Philadelphia, Pa.,assigner Y to Proctor & Schwartz, Incorporated, Phila-` delphia,` Ba., acorporation of APennsylvania Application octoterze, 193s, serial No.237,755

' v.12 claims.v (or 271-22) This invention relates to an apparatus forhandling web materialspsuch as textile fabrics, etc. in subjecting thematerialto some prescribed treatment, such as the -drying of textilefabrics 'v after processing, dyeing, etc. The'invention relates to thehandling of web materials in the form `applicable to what is as loopdryers. l v e In a loop dryer, the web lis hung `"over and be- "tween aseries .of supports which Aarearranged in substantially parallel.laterally spaced relation jgto 'each other, in a substantiallyhorizontal plane.

supports, at one end o f thedryer, while vthe sup,-

ports are advancing horizontally below the feeding apparatus, wherebythe material is formed.

into successive loops or festoons whiclif advance through the dryer tothe opposite endthereof where the material is constantly ,withdrawn from.p the loops or festoons successively, the festooned material,intermediate the formation of the loops vor festoons at the one end of4the medium in circulation'within the dryerI Disadvantages of the loopvdryer have been marking of the material'where, it madecontaet with thefestoon supports; and non-uniformityofv drying throughout the length oftheweb.y These disadvantages have been causedloy the moisture from theupper portions of the lor'lpsl or festoons running down through thematerialto the lower l 4.portions'of the loops, which caused'theportions of the material which were restingonthe supports to dry morerapidly than the portions of the mate'- rial inthe lower portions of theloops'.

Many attempts have ,been made inthe pastto` 'overcome the above-noted.difliculties :for` .example, by rotating the supports for the loopsasthe series of loops is advanced through the dryer,

to effect a relative movement between the material and the loop.supports, ythe purpose of such .relative movement being two-fold. f l

. InV the iirst place, the relative'm'ovement between the material andthe supportswas intended to prevent any portions of thematerialfromlyingconstantlypin,` contact with the vloop supports throughout the whole oftheA drying Vor other" `processing cycle. Secondly, thefrelative move-vment betweenthe supports and the material was f intended toV movethematerial from the tops to the bottomsv of the festoons and viceversa,one or more times during the drying or treating cycle, f

I dryer andthe removal ofthe material from the loops or festoons attheopposite end of the dryer being subjected .to

. the inuenc'e of air 4or other drying or treating toobtain greateruniformity in the drying or v other treatment of the material.

f The rotating support vhas only partially solved the problemconfronting the makers and users of this type' of dryer, in' that therehas been ,no

assurancev that the material will move with the.,A be moved.

carrying surfaces of the supports or thereby as the supports rotate. c

In the case ofltextile fabrics, the movement of l the web with and bythe rotating supports ismost f elicient while the material is initsextremely wet condition, but, as the material begins to dryvtracrtionfloetvv'een the material and the carrying surfaces ofthesupportsfdec'reases,resulting in the materialmoving or being-moved inlvarying degrees vas Ithe supports revolve. This causes the vfestoons tovary in length. Eventually the longer loops rob the shorter loops and insome instances the shorter loops are eliminated' entirely. Thisfrequently results in the elongated loopsdragging. Valongythe vrbottomjot/the dryer, damaging the 'material' l In order to `avoid or.' reducetoa minimum the vabove objections, some manufacturers and users oftheloop type of drying mechanism have resorted to lroughening thecarrying. surfaces of the supports, inorder to'increase the tractiveengagement between the supports and the material.

'Such yprocedure has been'but partially successful and has added otherdifficulties in the form of mentV between thecarrying surfaces of thesupports andthe material passing laround the sup,- ports.v lThe objectof thepresent invention-is to provide an apparatus for applying anextraneous pressure 4to the-Web where andas it makes contact with the*rotating v supports,y to insure tractive Aengagement between'thematerial and the. carrying surfaces of ljthe supports, whereby, as thesupports revolve,

the material will'be moved-'concurrently therel withk ,and to an equalextent" with'the carrying surfaces of the supports. Thus,` by constantlyArotating the supponsnas they travel from approxif 3o" Aabrasion of thesurfaceofthe material, without providing any positive `assurance ofequal .movemately ,the point of formation of the festo'ons toapproximately the point where. the` material is l withdrawn from the`festoons, the relation betweenthe carrying'surfaces of the supports andthe portions of the material making contact with the carrying surfacesof the supports islconstantly changing; and the material is caused `toprogress constantly'. through the `fes'toons-from the .tops

thereof to thefbottoms thereofv and viceversa, whereby marking of themateriall by the supports is entirely eliminated and uniform drying ofthe material is eiciently effected.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 diagrammatically illustrates a loop dryer equipped with pressureexerting means in accordance with the principles of the presentinvention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of a portion of the pressureapplying means illustrated in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, illustrating a modified form ofpressure applying means; and

Fig.y 4 is a view similar to Figs. 2 and 3, illustrating a still furthermodification of the inven-V `transversely of the casing I. l Ill arerotatably supported `at their opposite ends tion.

As shown in Fig. 1, the drying or other processing device comprises acasing I through which the material to be dried or otherwise treated isadvanced from the feed end 2 of the casing to the discharge end 3thereof. It will be understood that any desired form of treatment maytake place within the casing I. The treating medium may be maintained incirculation within the casing by anysuitable means, not shown, whichperse forms no part of the present invention.

In the present instance the web W is formed into a series of loops orfestoons X, overY and between a series of supports Ill, I0 which extendThe supports I9,

respectively by trunnions II, II, which form orl which are coaxiallyarranged with the pintles connecting adjacent links I2, I2 of a pair of'laterally spaced side chains, which together with the supports I0, I0form a suitable conveyer I3 by which ther loops X respectively carriedlby the supports I0, Ii! are moved longitudinally through the casing I,from the feed end 2 thereof to the discharge end 3 thereof.

. `The supports I il, I0, in the present instance,

are in the form of round poles or rollers constituting girts extendingtransversely of the conveyer I3 from one of the side chains thereof,composed of the links I2, to the other of the side chains of theconveyer.

The side chains of the conveyer I3 pass around sprockets I4, I5, I6 andI'I-wh'ich may be supported and driven in any suitable manner and by anysuitable means to move the conveyer I3 in the direction of the arrowsillustrated inFig. 1, it being. noted that the conveyer I3 is of theendless type and that the loops or festoons X are supported by the girtsIll along the upper run i8 of the conveyer, while the lower run I9 ofsaid conveyer is disposed a substantial distance below the upper run I8and the lower ends of the loops or festoons X carried thereby. y

As shown in Fig. 2, each of the girts IB, adjacent one or both endsthereof, is provided with the gear wheel 2B. Along the upper run I8 ofthe conveyer I3, the teeth of the gears 20, 20 are adapted to mesh withthe teeth of a stationary. gear rack 2l. The toothed rack or racks 2|are maintained in fixed position in and with respect to the casing I,whereby as the upper run I8 of the conveyer I3 is moved in the directionof the arrow a, Fig. 2, the girts I0 are constantly rotated in thedirections of the arrows b, Fig. 2. As shown in Fig. 2 the upperportions :c of the loops or festoons X pass around the upper sides ofthe rotary girts I0. In accordance with the principles of the presentinvention, extraneous pressure, i. e., pressure other than that exertedby the weight of the material itself in the festoons or loops X, isapplied tothe upper portions zr, :I: of said loops or festoons wherethese portions of thevfestooned material make contact with theperipheral carrying surfaces of the girts I Il.

In the preferred form of the invention, as illustrated in Figs. l and 2of the drawings, the extraneous pressure, applied to the upper portions:c of the festooned material for the purpose of kinsuring tractiveengagement between the carrying surfaces 22, 22 of the girts Il), It andthe web W, is produced by a series of freely rotatable cylindricalweights, in the form of rollers 25, 25, which are arranged in verticalalignment with the axes of the girts IU, I9 and bear on the upperportions m, :r of the material W, preferably, though not necessarily,from side to side of the material.

` It will be understood that, while it is preferred to employ solidrollers extending continuously from side to side of the material, therollers may be of a hollow or tubular construction; and furthermore itwill be understood that the rollers 25 may consist of two or moreindependent sections arranged in end `to end abutting, or relay tivelyspaced axially aligned relation to each other, as desired.

The pressure exerting rollers 25, in the present instance, are providedwith trunnions 26, 2G at each of their opposite ends, which mayconstitute the connecting pintles between successive links 21, 21 ofendless carrying or spacing chains 28, respectively disposed at oppositeends of said rollers, or the Vtrunnions 26 may be independent kof thechain pintles and be rotatably mounted in vsuitable bearings carried bythe chains 28. l The chains 28 pass around sprockets 29 and 3D whicharedisposed adjacent the feeding and discharging -ends 2 and 3respectively of the casing I. thereof, may be operated by any suitablemeans, from any suitable 'source ofl power whereby the lower runs 3I ofthe chains 28 will be moved con-l currently, in the direction of thearrow a, Fig. 2,4 with the upper runs I8 of the side chains ofr thekconveyer I3, whereby vthe pressure exerting rollers 25, 25 aremaintained in horizontal laterally spaced relation to each other and invertical alignment with the revolving girts Il), Ill of the upper run I8of the conveyer I3 lat all times during the travel of the girts I0. ID,from the point Aat which the festoons or loops are formed to the i pointat which the web is withdrawn from said loops or festoons successively.

The material W is fedto they conveyer I3 by a drum 32, under a roller 33disposed above the upper run. I8 of the conveyer I3, by which, as thegirts ID, I0 pass successively under the roller 33, as the upper run ofthe conveyer I3 moves ,in the direction of the arrow c. Fig. 1, the webWis caused to be laid over the successive girts II), I0 to form theupper parts :c of the loops or festoons X, and between the successivegirts I0, I0 to form the lower portions rl of the loops X successively.

The material W is withdrawn from the loops, adjacent the delivery end. 3of the casing I, between a pair of guide rollers 34, by a drum 35 whichdelivers the dried material to any suitable form of folding, piling. orrolling device.

l'l'.'he drums 32 and 3 5 andthe conveyer I3 are driven at the properrelative speeds yby any suitable variable speed transmission etc. foraccom.

plishing the formation and withdrawal of the web W into and from theloops X; and the weight carrying conveyer chains 28, or the supportingsprockets '29` and SI1 thereof, are driven at the The sprockets 29 and30, or leither ler v y 2,196,931 .proper speed with respect to the`speed `of the conveyer, I3 to maintain vertical alignmentfbetween `thegirts I0 in the upper rungof thefconveyer |3 and the freely rotatableweights 25 -at "all times.

K From the above it will be clearvthat as'the upper run of the conveyerI3 advances in the direction of vthe arrow c, Fig. -1,ithe web-W isformed into the loops X successivelyaroundthe constantlymoving girts I0andthe constantly moving girts I0 are continuouslyrotated lfrom `thepoint of formation of the loops X to the point'of derangement of saidloops, bythe gears 2 Il;.being invconstant driving contact'w'ith the,teeth of the stationary rack 2|.V It will also be obvious that as theloop supporting girts II! pass Aunder the sprockets 29 one of thepressureexerting weight rollers 25 will be laid .on top-of each loopsupporting girt IG, in contact with the upper portion m of the web W,andv maintained in vertical alignment with the loop supporting girt1throughout its travel through vthe casing"|,. and that the Weight roller25 in each instancewill produce and maintain an extraneous pressure onthe web W, whereby tractive engagement be,- tween the web W and thecarrying surfaces 22'of the girts I0 is at all times insured; andwhereby the constant rotation of the girts I0 will advance the web Wprogressively through the loops X with the portions a: of the loopsalternately changing position with the'lower portions :nl of the loopsto prevent running of the moisture from the upper portion of a loop intothe lower portion thereof, whereby uniform drying of the web ismaintained and marking of the web by the girts as a result of the weblaying'constantly and .l

quietly on the girts is prevented.

As shown in Fig. 3, the weight rollers instead.

of being maintained in vertical ,alignment with the respective girts I0,I0, as in Figs. 1 and 2,- are positioned intermediate each adjacent pairof girts I0, Ill, in tangential relation to the portions a; `of the webW which pass around the girts ID. 'The weight rollers 25a in thisinstance function as nip rolls to pinch the web W bey tween thecylindrical peripheral faces of the nip rolls 25a and the carrying faces22, 22 of. the pair of girts Il), I 0, between which each positioned.

As in the case of the weight rolls 25 shown in Fig. 2, the nip rolls 25aof Fig.. 3 are rotatably.

mounted at their oppositeends in side chains 28a which pass aroundsprockets 29aand lay the nip rolls in position between the girts andremove said nip rolls from said position at ther feed and delivery endsof the casing respectively.` In Fig. 4 the rolls 25l or 25a aresupplanted by a continuous belt or belts 40 which are of the endlesstype' and pass around drums `or belt wheels 4I which take the place ofthe sprockets 29 and 30 of Fig. l. The belt 40 maybe vof a widthcorresponding to the width of ,the cony veyer I3 or said belt may becomposed of' a plu-y rality of sections disposed in lateral abutting orrelativelyspaced relation to each other as desired. v The lower run ,'43of the belt isadapted't'o rest on top of the portions mpx of the 'web Wpassing around the girts Ill, I0 in the upper run of the conveyer I 3,to exert a pressure on the portions of the webW sulcient to in'suretractive engagement between portions- :c1-of the web W and the carryingsurfaces 22 of the girts I0, Ill.

It will be undersood that the drums or Wheels nip roll is g waboutwhichthe belt 40-passesmaybe driven at such a speed that the vlower run 43ofthe belt 40 will travel in the direction of the arrow d,' Fig. 4

at the: same-speed as the carryingsurfaces of fthegirts I0, as producedbythe movement of the'Lmperfrun I8 oij'the Aconveyer 'I3 andtheengagement ofthe gears 2D onthe girts Illwith the vteeth of the xedlrack 2|;

If desired,A additional pressure may be exerted on theportions a; a: ofthe web W through the belt 40 by rollers 44, M bearing against the up#-per surface offthe lower run' 43' of the' belt 40 and which may be somounted within `the casing in-a manner to be held against movementlongitudinally of the casing whilepermitting vertical movement of therollers'44 within the cas#- king, the said rollers being freely rotatedvbytrac- ,tion with/the upper surface of the lowerfrund?,

ofthe'be'lt 40.

I claim: i y f 1 1. The combination of a series of web supports,vmeans-for advancing said supports along a pre- ,determined path',lmeans for .rotating said suprports en route, and means continuouslytraveling concurrently with said supports for applying tacting saidsupports en route.

`v2t A extraneous pressure to portionsof the'webgconl 2. 'Ihecombination of a seriesfof web supA ports, means for advancing said`supports alongv a predetermined path, means for rotating said supportsen route, and meansadapted to travel with said supports for applyingextraneous pressure to portions of the web in 'contact with theplurality of said supports simultaneously.

3. The combination of a seriesof web sup--r ports,l means forv advancingsaid supports along a predetermined path, means for rotating saidsupports en route, and weight means adapted to travel with said supportsfor applying extraneous pressure to portions of the webl incontact withthe plurality'of said supports simultaneously'.y

4. Ihe combination of a series of web supports, means for advancingsaidl supports along f a predetermined path means for rotating said withsaid supports'for applying extraneous pres-fl lsure. simultaneously toportions of the web con- -tactng said supports en route.

6. The combination of a series rof web supports, means for advancingsaid supportsalong a predetermined path, means for rotating saidsupports en route, and'means' comprising a series of rollerscontinuously traveling concurrently with said` supports and movablesubstantially perpendicular to the /plane of travel of said supports'for applying extraneous pressure simultaneously to portions of the webcontacting said supports en route. I

v'7. The combination of a series of Web sup-` ports, means foradvancing'said supports along,v`

apredetermined path, means for rotatingsaid supports en route, and meanscomprising a series of freely rotatable rollers continuously travelingconcurrently with said supports for applying extraneous pressuresimultaneously to portions-of the web contactingzsaid.supports en route.

` L8. The ycombination of a series of web supports,fmeans for advancingsaid supports along a predetermined path, means for rotating saidsupports en route, and means comprising a series of freely rotatablerollers continuously traveling concurrently with said supports andmovable substantially perpendicular to the plane of travel of saidsupports adapted to travel with said supports for applying extraneouspressure simultaneously `to portions of the web contacting said supportsen route.

` 9. The combination of' a series of Web supports, means for advancingsaid supports along a predetermined path, means for rotating saidsupports en route, and means comprising a series cf rollers adapted totravel continuously with said supports in vertical alignment With said`supports respectively for applying extraneous pressure simultaneouslyto portions of the web contacting said supports en route,

i0. The combination of a series of web supports, means for. advancingsaid supports along a predetermined path, means for lrotating saidsupports ren route, means comprising a series of rollers adapted totravel with said supports in .vertical alignment with said supportsrespec- .tivelyforapplying extraneous pressure simultaneously toportions of the Web contacting said supports en route and means forcausing said rollers to travel concurrently with saidsupports`'throughout substantially the full length of said ports, means foradvancing said supports along a predeterminedy path, means for rotatingsaid supports en route, and means comprising a belt lying above andmovable concurrently with said supports in contact with and for applyingextraneous pressure to portions of the web contacting said supports enroute.

A LPHEUS O. HURXTHAL.

